Slotting clay column



y 1934- J. B. WHITACRE SLOTTING CLAY COLUMN Filed Aug. 14, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BY JB. W'lmacre W Murmurs y 1934- J. B. WHITACRE SLOTTING CLAY COLUMN Filed Aug. 14, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY JB. VV/zz'fa'cre W ATTORNEYS y 1934- J. B. WHITACRE 1,957,056

SLOTT ING CLAY COLUMN Filed Aug. 14, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 29 5 BY Jfi W/uiacre ATITORNEYS Patented May 1, 1934 UNET STATS SLOTTING CLAY COLUMN John B. Whltacre, Waynesburg, Ohio, assignor to The Whitacre- Greer Fireproofing Company,

Waynes'curg, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 14, 1931, Serial No. 557,020

14 Claims.

The invention relates to the manufacture of clay products and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for providing apertures, openings, slots, hand holes, or the like in or through one or more of the outer surfaces or walls of a clay column.

Hollow building tiles have come into extended use in the construction of building walls. Such tiles are usually sold on a weight basis, and it is therefore very desirable to reduce the tile weight and at the same time maintain the tile load bearing strength unimpaired.

Moreover, a reduction in weight of hollow tiles enables higher or thicker walls to be built without reducing the load carrying capacity of such walls, because the reduction in weight of superimposed tiles reduces the dead load of the same upon the lowermost wall tiles.

The use of hollow tiles in wall construction enables air passages to be provided in walls. Air passages in hollow tile walls have usually extended either horizontally or vertically depending upon the position of the tile cells when set. However, it is most desirable to provide walls with air passages extending through and communicating between the wall tiles both horizontally and vertically.

The handling of hollow tiles, particularly of the larger sizes, requires workmen to use both hands, except in special cases where tiles are provided with special means expediting the handling of the same, as by providing hand holes in certain of the walls thereof.

Hollow tiles of reduced weight, provided with hand holes, and adapted for the construction of walls having horizontally and vertically extending air passages, have been proposed, as shown in the Ludeman patent for Hollow tiles, No. 1,529,317, dated March 10, 1925 for use in the construction of hollow tile walls to attain the desiderata set forth above.

However, tiles of this character have never been manufactured on a commercial scale to my knowledge, although small numbers of the same may have been manufactured for experimental purposes by tediously cutting slots or holes through the tile walls by hand.

The manufacture of such tiles by hand so materially increases the tile cost as to prohibit the use of slotted tiles in most instances except where the tile cost is immaterial.

I have discovered a method of and apparatus for providing slots, apertures, openings, hand holes or the like in or through the surfaces or walls of a moving clay column extruded from a column forming machine without materially increasing the cost of forming a clay column, so that when the clay column is cut into desired lengths, the products severed therefrom include openings, apertures, slots, hand holes or the like located at desired places.

It is therefore an object of the present inveniion to provide for the manufacture of clay products having slots, hand holes or the like in or through one or more of the outer surfaces or walls of the same.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for the manufacture of such products by successful production methods without materially increasing the cost of the same above the usual cost of producing clay products of a similar character, not provided with the special features described herein as being desirable.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for the manufacture of clay products having slots of any desired widths and lengths in non-load bearing walls thereof for readily handling the same, for reducing the weight of the clay products and for adapting the same for the construction of walls having both horizontally and vertically extending air passages.

These and other objects may be attained by the methods and apparatus, preferred examples of which are hereinafter set forth in detail and shown in the drawings, in which Figure l is a plan view diagrammatically showing a slotted hollow column issuing from a clay forming machine die, equipped with slotted mechanism, means being provided for coordinating the slotting mechanism with the movement of the column;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking toward the die end of a column forming machine equipped with the improved slotting mechanism, sectionally showing a two cell slotted hollow .column issuing therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional View of the improved forming die and slotting mechanism taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the die shown in Figs. 2 and 3, taken on the line 44, Fig. 2 showing the slotting mechanism in a position operative for by-passing portions of the column wall away from the column proper;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the slotting mechanism in a position inoperative for lay-passing portions of the column away from the column proper;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the die by-passing valve or tool;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a slotted two cell hollow tile made in the die shown in Figs. 2 and 5, inclusive;

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of the tile shown in Fig. 7 taken on the line 8-8 thereof;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a slotted single cell hollow tile similar to the tile shown in Fig. '7; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a header backup tile provided with slots in its non-load bearing walls.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The forming head of a usual type of a clay column forming machine is shown diagram matically at A in Fig. 1. The forming head A may be provided with any usual die B for forming clay columns of any usual type and shape from clay extruded under pressure from the forming head A by the usual means. For the purposes of the present invention the construction of the die B, and the interior arrangement of the forming head A is suitably modified by the addition of slotting mechanism of a preferred form shown in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 6, inclusive, the forming head 11 is provided with the improved die 12 secured thereto by the usual nuts and bolts 13 and 14, respectively. The die opening 15 in the die 12 is shown as having the required size and shape for producing a two cell hollow column in conjunction with the usual cores 16 mounted in any well known manner on a spider within the forming head 11.

For producing slots 17 in the upper and lower non-load bearing walls of a two cell hollow column 20, the die 12 is provided with by-pass openings 18, adjacent to the upper and lower surfaces of the die opening 15, but spaced therefrom by partition walls 19. The areas of the by-pass openings 18 are substantially equal to the respective cross-sectional areas of the slots 17 which it is desired to form in the upper and lower walls of the hollow clay column 20 extruded from the forming die through the die opening 15 around the cores 16.

The partition walls 19 extend only a short distance back from the outer face of the die 12 to a point indicated at 21 in the drawings for a purpose which will be hereinafter described. Clay stream dividers or shields 22 are mounted in any suitable manner within the forming head 11, above and below the cores 16, terminating at points 23 spaced inwardly from the inner ends 21 of the partition walls'19. The inner surfaces of the shields 22 are substantially parallel with and co-extensive with the upper and lower surfaces of the die opening 15. Thus, the clay stream 24 extruded under pressure by the forming head auger (not shown) passes above and below each shield 22 and moves in the direction of the arrows shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Sliding plate, gate or shutter valves 25, controlling movement of the clay stream through the die opening 15 are mounted for reciprocatory movement or intermittent movement in guide openings 26 provided in the die 12. Each sliding gate valve 25 is provided near its inner end with a by-pass aperture 27 adapted to register with the by-pass opening 18 controlled thereby, when the valve is in by-passing position shown in Fig. 4. The outer surface of the lower end of each plate valve 25 is arranged to slide back and forth against the inner end 21 of each adjacent partition wall 19.

Curved runners 28 are provided on each outer edge of each valve 25 adjacent the lower end thereof so that the lower end of each valve 25 is H-shaped in cross section; and grooves or recesses 29 are provided in the die 12 and partition walls 19 through which the runners 28 may pass as the valves 25 are reciprocated in a vertical plane. The outer ends of the valve plates 25 may be pivoted at 30, to links 31, which in turn are centrally pivoted at 32 to links 33. The links 33 are pivoted at 34 to the outer ends of levers 35 pivotally mounted at 36 on brackets 37 carried by the die 12. The levers 35 are in turn pivoted at 38 to links 39 pivotally connected at 40 to a crank lever 41 mounted on the shaft 42. Manual or mechanical rotation of the shaft 42 in reverse directions produces reciprocation of the plate valves 25 between the several positions of the same shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The shaft 42 may be manually rotated if desired. However, in Fig. 1, means coordinated with the movement of the hollow column 20 for rotating the shaft 42 in reverse directions is diagrammatically shown which may consist of solenoids 43 and 44. The solenoids 43 and 44 may be controlled by switches 45 and 46, respectively, which are actuated by rotation of the shaft 47, carrying a measuring roll 48 operatively engaging the moving clay column 20 as the same issues from the die B.

Adjustment of the switches 45 and 46 controls the length of time when the valve blades 25 are in in or out positions shown in Figs. 4 and 5, respectively. The control of the valve blades 25 in turn controls the length of the slots 17, and location of the same along the column 20, so that upon severing the column 20 at 20a, hollow building tiles 202) shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are produced having upper and lower non-load bearing walls provided with slots 1'7.

It is understood that by varying the size and shape of the die opening, the core construction, and the slotting mechanism, a single cell hollow slotted tile such as shown in Fig. 9 at 200 may be produced; or a header back-up block having slotted walls such as shown at 20d in Fig. 10 may likewise be produced. Moreover, all types of clay products that may be extruded from a clay forming machine may be provided with apertures, openings, slots, hand holes or the like in or through one or more of the outer surfaces or walls of the same by using the methods and apparatus herein disclosed.

The operation of the slotting mechanism, for producing slots 17 in a clay column 20 extruded from a column forming machine is as follows:-

The clay stream 24 divided by the shields 22 travelling in the direction of the arrows shown in Figs. 4 and 5, under an equalized extruding pressure arrives at the plane of location of the valve blades 25. When the valve blade 25 is in in position shown in Fig. 4, portions of the divided clay stream merge at the opening between the rear surface of the valve plates 25 and the forward ends 23 of the shields 22, then are by-passed laterally deflected or removed away from the clay column proper and the cores therefor through the aligned by-pass apertures 2'7 and by-pass die openings 18, and issue from the die 12 as by-passed segments 170., which may be conveyed away from the moving column 20 and die 12 by conveyor aprons 49.

When the valves 25 are moved to out position as shown in Fig. 5, the portions of the divided moving clay stream 24 merge between the points 21 and 23 and move inwardly out of the die opening 15 around the cores 16 to produce a hollow clay column 20 having continuous walls.

Thus the period of time when the valves 25 are in in position determines the lengths of the slots 17 formed in the moving clay column.

The shields 22 so direct and control the flow or" the clay stream 24, that the same has a uniform pressure of all places surrounding the cores 16 to make the clay column 20 have a uniform density throughout. Moreover, the provision of bypass apertures and openings 27 and 18 in the valves 25 and die 12 permits an equalized resistance to the forming and extruding pressure to be maintained upon all portions of the clay stream including the by-pass portions 17a when the slots 17 are being formed in the clay stream, so that the column 20 will not warp, or curl as it issues from the die 15, and so that the clay walls of the column 20 will have a uniform density during formation of the slots 17 therein.

I have discovered that in order to obtain a uniform product, and to obtain a clay column having a uniform density, that the flow of the clay stream must not be interrupted or obstructed. Thus, when slots and the like are formed in a moving clay column as the same is passing through the forming die, in order to prevent interruption of the flow of the clay stream which would destroy the balance of pressure and produce a uniform product, portions of the wall of a hollow column must be by-passed away from the column proper so as to maintain a flow of and a resistance to the fiow of the by-pass portions equal to that of the other portions of the clay column, and so as to maintain preferably an equalized resistance to the forming and extruding pressure on the moving clay column and the moving by-passed portions thereof.

The curved runners 28 produce smooth, preferably slightly rounded edges for the slots 17 formed in the clay column. These runners form slits 51 projecting from the side edges of the slots 17, whose lengths depend upon the length of the runners 28. However, the slits 51 are not objectionable, and will be produced when it is desired to provide the smooth rounded edges 50 for the slots 17.

Moreover, the ends 52 of the slots 1'7 will be tapered outwardly, the angle of the taper being determined by the speed with which the blades 25 are moved from in to out position or vice versa.

I claim:

1. The method of slotting a wall of a hollow clay column which includes extruding a column from a column forming machine around a core, and intermittently icy-passing entire wall portions of the column away from the core during movement of the column to form slots through the wall.

2. The method -of slotting a wall of a hollow clay column which includes extruding a column from a column forming machine around a core,

and intermittently deflecting entire wall portions of the column laterally of the core and column during movement of the column to form slots through the wall.

3. The method of slotting a wall of a hollow clay column which includes extruding a column from a column forming machine around a core, and intermittently removing entire wall portions of the column laterally of the core and column during movement of the column to form slots through the wall.

4.. The method of slotting a wall of a hollow clay column which includes extruding a column from a column forming machine around a core, removing a portion of a wall of the column laterally of the core and column during movement of the column to form a slot through the wall, and maintaining a forming pressure on the removed portion of the wall during removal thereof.

5. Apparatus for slotting clay columns including a column forming die, and means in the die for by-passing a portion of a clay column extruded from the die away from the column proper.

6. Apparatus for slotting clay columns including a column forming die, and means including a by-pass opening provided in the die and a valve therefor for by-passing a portion of a clay column extruded from the die away from the column proper.

7. Apparatus for slotting clay columns including a column forming die, means in the die for icy-passing a portion of a clay column extruded from the die away from the column proper, and means for maintaining an equalized pressure in the clay column.

8. Apparatus for slotting clay columns including a forming head, a column die, there being a by-pass opening in the die, a valve for said opening, and means for maintaining an equalized forming pressure upon a clay stream extruded from the die at any position of adjustment of the valve.

9. Apparatus for slotting a wall of a moving hollow clay column including a column forming die, a core therefor, and means engaging the core for removing a portion of a wall of a hollow column extruded from the die laterally of the column and core during movement of the column.

10. Apparatus for slotting a wall of a moving hollow clay column including a column forming die, a core therefor, and deflecting means engaging the core for laterally by-passing a portion of a wall of a hollow column extruded from the die away from the column during movement of the same.

11. Apparatus for slotting a wall of a moving hollow clay column including a column forming die, a core therefor, and valve means engaging the core and means cooperating therewith for lay-passing a portion of a wall of a hollow column extruded from the die away from the column during movement of the same.

12. Apparatus for slotting a wall of a moving hollow clay column including a colunm forming die, a core therefor, means operable to intermittently engage the core for by-passing a portion of a wall of a hollow column extruded from the die away fro-m the column during movement of the same, and means controlled by the movement of the column for operating said last mentioned means.

13. The method of slotting a clay column which includes extruding a column from a forming machine, by-passing a portion of the column away from the column proper to form a slot and extruding said by-passed portion from the forming machine at the same time that the column is extruded, and maintaining the same forming an extruding pressure on the column proper and on the lay-passed portion thereof during the bypassing and extruding operations.

14. The method of slotting a wall of a hollow clay column which includes extruding a hollow clay column from a forming machine, by-passing a portion of the wall of the hollow column away from the column proper to form a slot in said wall and extruding said by-passed wall portion from the forming machine at the same time that the hollow column is extruded, and maintaining the same forming and extruding pressure on the hollow column proper and on the by-passed wall portion thereof during the by-passing and extruding operations.

JOHN B. WHITACRE. 

